The locals have blamed poor water quality for the jaundice outbreak in the Riyar area of Khansahib block in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
The locals told that the Jal Shakti Department has failed to provide safe drinking water in the village, which has led to the outbreak of jaundice and claimed the life of a minor.
“The water is polluted and infected as the water tank hasn’t been cleaned for decades,” they alleged.
The people have requested the authorities to take serious note of the “life-threatening” issue.
A health official told that so far, 38 jaundice cases have been reported in the area and among them one person has died while the condition of others is stable.
He said that a 10-year-old boy identified as Abid, son of Abdul Salam from Riyar village of Khansahib, who was tested positive for jaundice following a jaundice outbreak, triggered by the supply of contaminated water.
Dr Mir Mushtaq, spokesperson of the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) told that “untiring” efforts are being made at Raiyar to curb jaundice through surveillance and rapid response teams of block Khansahib.
Simultaneously, the paediatric patients have been seen by the Pediatrician at SDH, Khansahib and blood tests have been conducted for detecting the disease, he said, adding that the screening process is on and thousands of people have been screened so far in the area.
“The situation is under control,” the DHSK spokesperson said.
Already, around 2,000 people have been screened among which 38 have been reported positive, he said, adding that no positive case was reported in the last three days.
“The ASHA workers of the concerned areas along with health workers have been distributing chlorine tablets and ORS packets among the inhabitants at door steps while field staff are continuously educating the people to take safe drinking water and also demonstrating the steps of hand washing to the people of this area,” Mushtaq said.
